"Energy is part of everybody’s life and sometimes we take it for granted,” said Malena Cutuli, who runs Shell’s entrepreneur supporting programme. “We understand at Shell that we have some of the answers, but not all.”

That’s why Shell is supporting entrepreneurs, such as Tom Robinson of building-materials startup Adaptavate. Imagine a structure that can “breathe” via moisture-absorbing biodegradable walls that reduces damp and limits asthma attacks, and which releases the moisture when the air is drier.

What could you do with such an innovation? And how could you ensure Robinson’s future-changing idea reaches its full potential? Those were just some of the questions considered by attendees of Shell’s Make the Future accelerator at London’s Olympic Park on July 1.

“Make the Future is a campaign that is focused on young entrepreneurs and people with bright ideas,” said Cutuli. “We help bring their concepts into reality, to ensure they can make it to the next stage.”

Read next

My favourite audiobook: It's Nice That's Owen Pritchard

In partnership with Audible

The initiative includes grant money via its LiveWIRE and Springboard programmes, but also networking and coaching from experts. A LiveWire winner himself, Robinson came up with his idea while sitting on a tool box during a break at a building site. He saw the wastage of plasterboard that goes to landfill – some 15 million tonnes per year in Europe alone. It’s problematic as the main ingredient, gypsum, can become toxic when mixed with water.

His solution was Breathaboard, a plasterboard replacement made from biodegradable materials that’s not only sustainable, but provides better insulation and automatically regulates moisture in finished buildings. Leftover pieces can even be used as fertiliser.

Read next

The mobile app revolutionising healthcare access in Ghana

In partnership with Sandoz

After the assembled experts and entrepreneurs were introduced to Adaptavate, Robinson highlighted three challenges faced by his company: manufacturing in a sustainable way, growing the team with the right hires, and scaling up to reach the wider market. “It’s great being a startup, but how do I scale up?” Robinson said. “How do I go from making ten of these in a shed to scaling this process up?”

A series of three workshops sought to address those challenges, with help and inspiration from industry experts and successful entrepreneurs, including Raspberry Pi founder Eben Upton, Caroline Plumb of HR consultancy FreshMinds, and Blaise Bellville from London-based music streaming startup Boiler Room.

Led by global design and strategy firm frog, the 50 attendees took part in a series of focused brainstorming sessions to identify the challenges facing Robinson’s business and come up with potential solutions, suggesting everything from licensing the technology to third parties, to growing the raw materials on the unused real estate of inner-city and urban rooftops.

Read next

These four trends are shaping the future of the world

In partnership with HP

“It’s been quite a day,” said Robinson, saying he particularly appreciated the “cosmic insights” around decentralising the business to help more quickly broaden its impact on the market, and pitching his Breathaboards against an existing commoditised product by focusing on its positive story. “I owe you all a favour,” he added.

The other participants, now bound by their shared experience, walked away with new ways of looking at their own businesses. They’d learned by using Adaptavate as a case study, but had also spent the afternoon exploring how various funding models could be utilised to take their startups and firms to the next stage – including grants, venture capital and newer crowdfunding methods. These were particularly focused on during the “speed dating”-style workshop that set founders up with funding experts to uncover the best route to financial support for their individual cases.

For some startups, the right road may be Shell Technology Ventures, which invests in early-stage companies that could have a significant impact on the future energy system.“We only invest in things that we understand, in areas that we can help,” stressed Geert van de Wouw, managing director of Shell Technology Ventures.

Read next

Ideas and ideals with Lyst co-founder Chris Morton

In partnership with Glenfiddich

Those looking for further financial assistance could turn to Shell’s Finance Navigator, a new online interactive database unveiled at the Make the Future accelerator that helps clean tech and sustainable-innovation entrepreneurs to secure capital.

“Access to finance is difficult. People waste time trying to find their way,” said Robert Linck, CFO of Shell Technology Ventures. “This should help small to medium enterprises in clean tech and low carbon find relevant sources of capital.”

Although funding is important for the nurturing of a small business, it’s not everything, noted Shell UK Chairman Erik Bonino.

“It’s not about money, but mentorship and advice. Today is more about the community we’re bringing together and learning from each other,” he told attendees. “Corporates have difficulty in creating that vital spark and that smart idea, but we want to be part of an ecosystem that nurtures those things – and that’s really what Make the Future is all about.”

Read next

Working on future assumptions: ideas and ideals with Lyst cofounder Chris Morton

In partnership with Glenfiddich

Workshop 1: Manufacturing

Making your idea reality isn’t easy, so the first challenge attendees at the event discussed was manufacturing. The workshop entailed brainstorming how to ensure enough supply of Adaptivate’s plasterboard, by growing the raw hemp material on urban rooftop gardens, or using offcuts and recycled pieces for a lower grade, budget product. The entire lifecycle of the boards was considered, from manufacturing on-site for faster turnaround on large building projects, to recycling into biofuel.

One of the lessons was not to assume it’s too expensive to manufacture in the UK. Raspberry Pi founder Eben Upton initially outsourced to China, but production was shifted to Wales. Being closer to the “factory gate” had benefits in shipping and delivery times. “We didn’t bring this product back to the UK because we’re good people, but because we’re cheap people,” said Upton.

Peter Marigold, of FORMCard founder agreed, saying it cost a little more to use local suppliers, but faster delivery more than made up the difference.

Workshop 2: Growing the team

Adaptavate runs on a small team, so the second workshop examined who Robinson should hire next, and how to keep the altruistic company culture alive as the staff roster expands.

Read next

Optimise your life in style with Emporio Armani's new touchscreen smartwatch

Trui Hebbelinck, vice president of Human Resources for trading and supply at Shell, advised Robinson and other entrepreneurs to ensure your hires know your strategy and “unconditionals” – the ethics, culture, and safety principles that matter to you.

“Even if you know, the people hiring for you, are they aware?” she asked. “Often that’s not always the case.”

Workshop 3: Scaling up

You have the product and the team. Now what? Workshop three set goals and milestones for Adaptavate – and identified the hurdles that could prevent the company from succeeding.

Malena Cutuli, head of integrated brand communications and capability at Shell, advised seeking help in new places. “Don’t always look around your own community. Find an unusual partner to help you achieve your goals,” she said. That could be manufacturing partners or corporations such as Shell, which are boosting their own innovation by working with entrepreneurs.

Blaise Belville, founder of music streaming platform Boiler Room, found success by “just running at things,” he said. “See what’s successful and go for it.”